In San Diego and Imperial Counties, 46,426 individuals were deported, up 29 percent from 33,006 in 2011. Among those deported in 2012, 44 percent had criminal convictions. The exact breakdowns of crimes was not available.

The region ranked in the top three for removals – behind San Antonio and El Paso, and also accounted for the second highest increase in criminal removals in the nation, behind San Antonio.

ICE figures do not include removals by Customs and Border Protection, which oversees Border Patrol.